What is Iberdrola and ODNR HIDING?

Iberdrola and Van Wert tout the Blue Creek Wind Farm as the best thing since sliced bread. If it truly is, then why do they continue to hide data? The numbers reported below by Black Swamp are tragic. Many of the kills are migratory birds which confirm the fears that the turbines are, in fact, tall enough to interfere with the migratory flyways. This is a must read. We think any self-respecting community would refuse to heap “enormous” local taxpayer subsidy on such projects. And, with respect to bird kills, we do not think Van Wert is an exception. These results will likely be replicated in every other area where industrial wind is built. And, remember, you may not ‘care’ about birds, but you SHOULD care about bats. They are absolutely vital to our farmers, as they consume pests. Less bats = more pesticides = more expensive and dangerous foods….

Here in Ohio, some environmental organizations are promoting the Blue Creek Wind Farm–Ohio’s largest–as an amazing success story. They are putting a great deal of resources into their promotion of this wind farm, with slick videos, social media campaigns, etc. But here’s something very important to consider.

Environmental organizations are promoting Ohio’s largest wind farm with absolutely no idea what the operation’s post-construction bird / bat mortality studies show. Why, you might ask. Because the company refuses to release the data. BSBO been fighting them for this data through the legal system for nearly two years, and they have refused to turn over the data citing “trade secrets.” …

On January 7th, members of the BSBO staff met with representatives from Iberdrola and the Ohio Division of Wildlife to discuss the data they’ve refused to release. ODNR and BSBO attorneys attended the meeting, as well. The company continues to refuse to release the data; however, they were willing to share limited information from the post-construction mortality studies. Even with a limited view, the results were shocking.

In this wide-open, barren landscape, where we would have speculated birds would be safe. Quite frankly, we were shocked at the results.

2012
40 species were killed at the facility
In 2012, Horned Lark and Killdeer were the top two birds killed at the facility…
Of the species presented to us from the studies, we estimate 30% of mortality represented migratory birds. Meaning, these turbines are high enough to be in the active flight path of birds migrating over the open areas in western Ohio.

2013
41 species were killed in 2013
In 2013, Horned Lark, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Killdeer were the most frequent birds killed at the facility
And in 2013, at least 35% were migratory species.

Summary
Among the birds killed by the project were Golden-winged, Black-throated Blue, and Black-and-white Warblers, Philadelphia Vireo, Sora, and Semipalmated Sandpiper
Lapland Longspur and American Tree Sparrow were also included on the mortality list, and this is without any winter surveys conducted, the time when these species would be in flocks and most vulnerable.When we asked about bat mortality, the response from Iberdrola was “Bats were more prevalent than birds.”

We concluded the meeting with Iberdrola continuing to refuse to release all data and study methodology…Our Freedom of Information Act request for complete data will stand until we’ve assessed the merit of the redacted data. We have not yet received the data…

If you visit Fairneny — and people are; people from Savoy, in particular, where a wind farm is being proposed — he will likely employ colorful language to explain to you why industrial wind turbines are a bad deal from the standpoint of noise, alleged health risks, and impact on the environment and property values. "We're screwed here," he say […]

WPD Canada has stated that the company’s board of directors have decided not to proceed with an appeal of that decision, and will not be moving ahead with what would have been an eight-turbine project.

The construction of a larger 30 megawatt capacity wind project in the same general area northwest of Kimball where a decommissioned wind project has existed in the past will triple the amount of power generated.